1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing device and an image processing method to convert or detect images by performing a predetermined processing of a two-dimensional image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in order to convert or detect images by processing a two-dimensional image, processing is performed for each pixel one by one, in which data of plural pixels surrounding a certain pixel are processed.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, for each of a matrix of pixels 101 which are large in number and compose a two-dimensional image, coefficients A0 to A8 are respectively corresponded to and multiplied by data X0 to X8, the pixel 101 and the eight neighboring pixels 102, surrounding the pixel 101 in a kernel block, and a sum of multiplied values, A0X0+A1X1+ . . . +A8X8, is obtained as a processing data of the pixel 101. By shifting the kernel to each pixel, the series of the above operations are performed for each of all necessary pixels.
However, the above-described image processing method, in which computational processing is performed for each of all necessary pixels, results in extremely large volume of computations and extremely high computational burden and power consumption. More specifically, in each time the calculation processing is performed, a necessary pixel data has to be transferred from a storage to a processor, and all data on the plural neighboring pixels in the kernel have to be downloaded. In addition, when the kernel scans throughout the two-dimensional image, the same pixel is repeatedly accessed, which is a serious problem.